Hello Susan Hains, where are you living?

October 19, 2009 by Caleb Hamandishe ·
Filed under: Art life

Dear Susan, your article in the October 18 issue of The Standard struck me as having been written by someone who has been out of Harare, if not Zimbabwe for some time.

As a seasoned commentator on the arts, I was stunned that you did not know whether or not the Zimbabwe International Film Festival was still going on. I quote: “I am curious to know of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival which was started by Tsitsi Dangarembga is still in existence. It was a very good festival…”

The Zimbabwe International Film Festival happened last year and this year and received coverage in the local press and online. A quick online search will reveal that the festival still lives. As an arts critic that I respect Susan, I am disappointed that you were not aware of this and did not do your research here.

Secondly, and even more shockingly you went on to say in the article: “Has the same fate and demise befallen Harare’s Theatre in the Park? The theatre seems to have done nothing for ages…”

Susan! Hello! Theatre in the Park is as active as ever. They have just finished one play which received great coverage in The Herald, The Zimbabwean, The Zimbo Jam and if I’m not mistaken, The Standard as well. The play, Heal the Wounds was written by prominent playwright Stephen Chipfunyise. Currently, there is another great play running there, The New Road, by Stanley Makuwe. A week from now on 27th October, another play, titled After Tears, will start at the same venue.

But it is the editors that I am most disappointed with. Both the editor, Davison Maruziva, and the Arts & Entertainment Editor, Godwin Muzari obviously did not check this article through. Arts reporting in Zimbabwe is often very badly done because editors do not seem to recognise how important it is for the arts to be documented accurately, consistently and professionally.

Godwin himself writes some great articles on the Arts. May that same standard be upheld.

Tell the world: